09: The Gibeonites: Deceit of Faith? (Josh 9:1 – 27)

The Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the men of Israel and thus gained their lives. Was this in God’s plan?

πŸ‘‰ Read Joshua 9:1 - 27


Q1. When Joshua’s victory spread to Canaanite kings, they allied to fight against (           ) and Israel. However, the Gibeonites did something (          ). They cheated Joshua as if they lived (            ).

Joshua, clever, far away

This reminds what the Lord promised to Joshua. “No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life” (Josh 1:5)



Q2. The Israelites first doubted the Gibeonites’ words. But what do you think made their eyes blind and fooled by the Gibeonites’ trick? (v7-8, v14)

The Gibeonites called themselves the subject of the Israelites.

Their parents were slaves in Egypt. They knew what it would be like to have slaves. The words of the Gibeonites triggered their desire to be served and blinded their eyes. 

The Gibeonites were shrewd enough not to mention the victory over Jericho and Ai as if they had not heard it. In fact, they heard it (3) but pretended not to, claiming they lived far away.





Q3. Even though the treaty was made based on a lie, they should keep it. Why?

It was made in the name of the Lord God of Israel (v18, 19).

Many years later, King Saul tried to annihilate the Gibeonites in his jeal for Israel. The Lord was not happy and caused three years of famine in the land. (2 Sam 21:1-2)



Q4. What was the Gibeonites’ answer to Joshua’s question about why they had lied? 

They heard about the Lord and His plan to destroy all the Canaanites. They chose to live as slaves of God’s people rather than to die. Probably they relied on God’s mercy.

In this episode, no one is righteous except the Lord. Though the Gibeonites seemed to have faith, they chose deceit rather than repentance. When they came to Joshua, he didn’t ask the Lord and made a hasty treaty in the Lord’s name. 

Whatever circumstance His name was used for an oath, the oath should be kept for the sake of His reputation. 'Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar.' (Rom 3:4)  

We cannot approve what the Gideonites did. However, commendable was their desperate plea for the mercy of the Lord. What they did reminds what Jacob did, blessing by deceit. Also, Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it.” (Matt 11:12)



It is mysterious that the Lord provided the way of salvation for this Canaanite tribe, by letting Joshua be deceived by them. The Lord didn’t want them to perish but to thrive through repentance.

Even though they were saved, they became slaves. Their presence within the Israelite community became a source of conflict, until the time of the complete salvation through Jesus Christ.

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